Plantar cuneonavicular ligaments
Ligamenta cuneonavicularia plantaria
Fibrous bands in the sole that fasten the underside of the navicular to the three cuneiform bones in front of it.
At a glance
- English
- Plantar cuneonavicular ligaments
- Latin (TA2)
- Ligamenta cuneonavicularia plantaria
- System
- Ligament
- Region
- Foot
- Side
- Paired, left and right
About the plantar cuneonavicular ligaments
The plantar cuneonavicular ligaments are a set of short bands on the underside of the midfoot. They pass forwards from the plantar side of the navicular to the plantar sides of the medial, intermediate and lateral cuneiforms, so each cuneiform receives its own slip. They strengthen the cuneonavicular joint, a compound plane synovial joint in which the convex front of the navicular carries three facets, one for the back of each cuneiform.
On the upper side of the foot a matching set, the dorsal cuneonavicular ligaments, does the same job, and on the medial side a further band links the navicular to the medial cuneiform. The plantar bands are stronger than the dorsal ones. In the sole they are closely related to the tendon of tibialis posterior, whose main insertion is on the navicular tuberosity and whose slips spread forwards across these ligaments to the cuneiforms, so that tendon and ligaments together form a strong plantar floor on the medial side.
The navicular and cuneiforms belong to the medial column of the foot, which carries the medial longitudinal arch from the talus to the first three metatarsals. The joint between them allows little more than slight gliding and rotation, and the plantar ligaments help keep it rigid enough to transmit load forwards to the forefoot during push-off. They act as ties on the concave underside of the arch, resisting the tendency of the bones to separate when weight presses them downwards.
Laxity at this level, often called a naviculocuneiform sag, is one of the places where the medial arch can collapse in flatfoot. It is seen on a standing lateral radiograph as a break in the line running through talus, navicular and first metatarsal.
Attachments and function
- Attaches from
- The plantar side of the navicular.
- Attaches to
- The plantar sides of the medial, intermediate and lateral cuneiforms, one slip to each.
- Function
- Bind the cuneiforms to the navicular, strengthen the cuneonavicular joint from below and help support the medial longitudinal arch.
- Nerve supply
- Articular branches of the medial plantar nerve.
- Blood supply
- Branches of the medial plantar artery.
Anthromica
See the plantar cuneonavicular ligaments where it really sits, with every layer of the body around it.
- Every layer, one body. Peel from muscle to bone, nerve, vessel and organ, and turn it any way.
- English and Latin. Every structure named the way your exam names it.
- Quiz until it sticks. Short drills on the structures you keep missing.
Free to start. No card.
